Heir

Ahem, ahem, I've strayed too far again. Let's get back on track.

Master Brother Lu Yu had two children in the Foundation Establishment Realm. One was a daughter named Lu Xing, born to a concubine. She had a gentle, considerate, and generous nature, much like her father. She was well-liked by everyone, both within the family and throughout Bamboo Mountain.

The other was a son named Lu Qi. His mother was a singer kept in the outer courtyard. He was hardworking, diligent in his cultivation, and often worked in the outer sect, performing duties for the sect to supplement the family's income. He befriended many rogue cultivators and, despite receiving assistance from the Lu family since childhood, he was ambitious and refused to take handouts. He actively helped manage the family's workshops and businesses, earning a good reputation among his relatives.

Both of them reached Foundation Establishment at the age of sixteen. They were intelligent and had learned some of the Lu family's ancestral techniques and Bamboo Mountain's evasion techniques. They were registered disciples of the outer sect, personally mentored by Lu Yu, and protected by a Golden Core cultivator. They possessed quite a few magical techniques and treasures. Originally, there were no major conflicts within the family. After all, Lu Xing had achieved success in her cultivation and rarely stayed in the main family residence, while Lu Qi never visited.

However, Lu Yu was suddenly killed. His main wife did not inform Lu Qi of the news, intending to privately hand over the position of Lu family patriarch to Lu Xing for management.

Lu Qi was still cultivating outside the mountain when he heard about his father's death from a Fellow Daoist. He rushed back on the seventh day after the death. Upon learning that his birth mother wanted to pay her respects at the memorial service but was blocked by the main wife and not even allowed to enter, he became furious and was about to cause a scene at the mourning hall.

Lu Xing, on her end, was also extremely displeased. She was presiding over the seven-day memorial and wanted to handle things properly. As soon as she stepped forward to stop Lu Qi from causing trouble, the two of them spoke directly and discovered the main wife's scheme.

It turned out that besides the patriarch position and the Lu family's businesses, there was also a secret family treasure passed down from male to male, and the inheritance of the Heavenly Craftsman's mechanical arts manual. The main wife had not told her a single word, clearly intending to use this illegitimate daughter as a shield. At that moment, Lu Xing's expression also turned cold.

This was not the most awkward part. The most awkward part was that Lu Yu actually had an eldest legitimate son, Lu Qi.

Well, it's no wonder the Lu family acted so excessively. After all, the Lu family's business and heritage were originally meant for this eldest legitimate son to inherit.

But this fellow was incredibly disappointing. Despite having generations of cultivation family heritage and the Five Immortals Soup of Louguan Daoist Tower just ten miles away, he stubbornly failed to reach Foundation Establishment, remaining at the Qi Condensation stage even now. Can you believe it?

Alright, there's nothing to disbelieve. At least Li Fan could understand. He just hadn't had enough fun yet...

It had nothing to do with talent. This immortal-generation Lu Qi was simply a spoiled, prodigal son, indulging in pleasure boats and wine houses, surrounded by singing girls and revelry. He just wasn't in a hurry! He just wanted to play!

After all, in this day and age, especially for these aristocratic families, Foundation Establishment was truly simple. Lu Qi knew that once he reached Foundation Establishment, his growth would slow down. He deliberately delayed for years. Now in his twenties, he was tall, handsome, and dashing. Wasn't this just to make it easier for him to "exercise" with young ladies and "experience the world"?

Moreover, he relied on his Golden Core father's protection and his mother's family influence in the Li Kingdom. Now he had come to Changsi City in the Li Kingdom and was one of the "Four Great Young Masters." Now that his father was killed, he couldn't contact his family and had not returned. Who knows where he was drinking and whoring in some pleasure house, he was nowhere to be seen. Truly speechless.

Even with all this, his own mother planned to secretly withhold the Lu family's inheritance until her son could quickly reach Foundation Establishment and inherit it.

But the Lu family was, after all, a cultivation family with generations of heritage and a vast business. Supporting two more ambitious disciples who had already achieved some Dao techniques and connections in the Foundation Establishment Realm, instead of supporting a second-generation prodigal son at Qi Condensation? Who were they trying to disgust?

This also displeased the relatives at the mourning hall, who started arguing. Eventually, it turned into a group supporting Lu Xing and a group supporting Lu Qi, escalating into an irreconcilable dispute. It was during this time of a father's recent death, when emotions were easily inflamed, that Lu Qi, who had endured scorn and hardship since childhood, actually shouted for a sword duel. Lu Xing, outwardly gentle but inwardly strong, having suffered enough and finally having a chance to rise, refused to let go and also gritted her teeth and agreed.

Brother Gao chattered on about the gossip for a while, leaving Li Fan and Yuan Xuanbao feeling awkward.

How to put it? Aren't all wealthy aristocratic families like this? After all, this is the trend of the times. What else can be said? A concubine's daughter or illegitimate son rising to power is a rare event, isn't it? Who knew the Lu family would actually encounter it, and not just one, but two, a double whammy. One doesn't know if he was lucky or unlucky...

And you can't blame the main wife entirely. Look at the names Master Brother Lu chose: Qi (precious jade), Qi (sand and stone), Xing (water weed). What were his own intentions? Could outsiders not see it?

However, Master Brother Lu probably didn't trust his legitimate son's behavior, so he cultivated two illegitimate children with extraordinary talent to protect him. He also took care of promising juniors like Xuanbao, Daotong, and Qingyue, accumulating favor for his prodigal son.

Who would have thought he would die suddenly? As a result, all his foolproof arrangements backfired. It's truly lamentable...

"Brother Xuanbao, which side are you supporting?" Li Fan looked down at the Lu family members who were already planting flags in the courtyard – a literal circle of talisman flags, demarcating a dojo for the duel, to prevent sword light and escape techniques from flying around and damaging the flowers and plants.

"This... actually, I've heard of Master Brother Lu's children," Yuan Xuanbao said with some hesitation. "Lu Xing is skillful and dexterous. Although she's still practicing metallurgy in the market, she's well-liked and has the potential to be favored by Master Du Gong in the future, with a bright future ahead. But her personality is strong, and she probably won't miss out on the Lu family's inherited mechanical arts because she's a woman.

Lu Qi is also a rare talent. It's rare these days to find someone who is willing to practice diligently and temper their physique steadily. If he were to join my sect, he could practice a set of the Hegemon Body Technique. With his drive and ambition not to be outdone, achieving Golden Core in the future would not be difficult. It's just that he's truly enraged this time, and I fear he won't let this go easily.

And... actually, I've heard of that Lu Qi too. He doesn't seem to be purely a debauched individual. The reputation of those Four Great Young Masters isn't bad either. Someone like him, who knows how to socialize, is actually more suited to be the patriarch of a clan like the Lu family. Master Brother Lu's family style doesn't seem like one that would dote on its legitimate son..."

So, they're both fine, which is as good as saying nothing...

Brother Gao also shook his head repeatedly, "Master Brother Lu is dead, and the Lu family is in such internal strife. If their enemies come knocking in the future, how will they protect themselves? Alas, it seems even ancient immortal clans like the Lu family are bound to decline."

The dojo below had already been set up. Lu Xing and Lu Qi entered and stood in the front courtyard of the mourning hall, one to the east and one to the west. Both were dressed in black outer sect robes, draped with mourning attire. They didn't avoid the many cultivators outside, seemingly intending to openly decide the Lu family patriarch under everyone's gaze.

This is a bit naive, Li Fan mused, stroking his chin as he observed the two young people below who likely intended to change their fate through this battle.

They were clearly instigated by those relatives. Whichever of them won, they would still have the background of illegitimate children. No matter how good their aptitude or how hard they worked, how could they command the resources of the Lu family's secondary and outer branches? Perhaps any shopkeeper would dare to fool them. But this was, after all, the Lu family's internal affair, and it was truly difficult for outsiders to interfere.

As these two walked into the public view, their appearances were like they were carved from the same mold as Master Brother Lu. Their features were at least seventy to eighty percent similar. Lu Xing's facial lines were softer, her body fair and slender, appearing more gentle, but she possessed an inherent heroism, not a timid or fearful young woman. Lu Qi was taller and thinner, his skin darker, likely from frequent exposure to the sun. His gaze was sharp, with the stubbornness of a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger.

At least they knew that fighting at this moment was already too improper. If blood were shed, the Lu family would lose all face. Therefore, the family didn't call it a proper duel. Both of them came out using wooden swords. The explanation given to the guests outside was that the two were performing a sword dance to send their father off.

Then everyone would pretend to believe they were performing a sword dance farewell.

After all, it was clear that the emotions of these two young people had been completely stirred up. Their grief and indignation couldn't be faked. Illegitimate children had no rights in this era. For them to have reached the Foundation Establishment realm today, it was impossible that Master Brother Lu hadn't meticulously taught them. Both of their eyes were red, seemingly venting years of pent-up emotions. After a bow, they immediately began fighting.

But they're so weak...

Li Fan wasn't being sarcastic. He was stating a fact objectively.

To put it politely, their sword dance was quite good, matching the rhythm of the music and looking quite pleasing. To put it bluntly, there were too many fake moves.

They leaped and jumped, even performing a triple somersault in the air. When you perform a sword flower, I'll respond with a windmill. It didn't look like killing sword techniques, but more like a martial arts film. The visual appeal was quite strong. Li Fan was initially worried, but watching this, the loser would at most end up with disheveled hair, a bruised and swollen face, and a loss of face. A wooden sword couldn't possibly stab someone to death, right?

However, speaking of which, with this level of skill, if they encountered the situations Li Fan had previously experienced, let alone that demonic cultivator, even that fake big-bearded pseudo-sword control technique would be more efficient at killing than these flashy moves.

'Xuantian Sword Intent declares Bamboo Mountain's sword techniques are trash. But this isn't a combat killing technique; it's for daily practice to stretch the body and improve coordination. Its body-refining effects are negligible, not even as good as those Hegemon Body Techniques.'

Li Fan seemed to realize something. Seeing Yuan Xuanbao watching the duel of these two juniors with a blank expression, he leaned over and asked, "Brother Xuanbao, what do you think of their moves?"

Yuan Xuanbao shrugged and casually commented, "So-so. They haven't been in Foundation Establishment Realm for more than two or three years. It's not bad for outer sect disciples to perform like this."

"Then how do they compare to those martial artists? And this level... if they trained to your level, Brother Xuanbao, could they defeat those patrol guards?"

Yuan Xuanbao glanced at Li Fan, "You're still thinking about what happened at the inn? Wanting to get revenge on that eunuch privately? How old are you this year? How many days have you been cultivating? You haven't practiced martial arts before, have you? What escape techniques or sword arts do you know? How many times can you use your Dao breath?"

Li Fan shrugged. It's just that some people, by fate, were counting on him to save the world right now. If he didn't go out and maintain world peace, he'd be a saintly virgin.

Yuan Xuanbao glanced at him, "Qingyue, don't blame me for speaking bluntly. But surviving the Sha Corpse Hand is already a stroke of luck, and killing that Golden Core cultivator was a matter of immense good fortune. You must know that even cultivators in our Foundation Establishment Realm, while physically stronger and faster than ordinary martial artists, are still mortal flesh and blood. They can't withstand swords and blades. If you truly want to fight enemies at this level, it's better to get a powerful crossbow and wear a set of armor for protection. That would be more practical than any magic treasure.

Listen to my advice. Wait until you achieve Golden Core, forge a golden body, and cultivate a flying sword of a certain grade before thinking about roaming the martial world and seeking revenge."

'Xuantian Sword Intent states: This kid is right. Host, don't take detours. Go into seclusion first! Stay there for seventeen or eighteen years, achieve the Five Ghost Divine Treasury Golden Core, and then we'll go to Leize to practice with a few boxes of flying swords. That sword pellet from last time was actually good. It could have been added to my collection, but unfortunately, that brat slipped away.'

Is this like the 'Once my divine art is perfected, I will emerge from seclusion and kill you all!' trope...

It makes sense, though. It's better to go out and court death, ahem, settle karma after reaching max level.

But the problem is, according to the cultivation path of Taiji Immortal Arts, reaching the Foundation Establishment stage is a material matter. With enough spiritual energy, a few pills of the Five Elements Great Treasure, and you can achieve Foundation Establishment no matter what.

However, the bottleneck between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core isn't just about the quality of Qi, it also requires talent.

Purely theoretically, one must first refine the true Qi in the Qi Sea into liquid spiritual marrow, and then condense the spiritual marrow into a Golden Core.

Specifically for Li Fan's situation, the first stage only requires cultivating the Five Elements Sword Ghosts and having enough spiritual energy supply. Constant tempering, or perhaps some moonlight cultivation, would be enough to refine spiritual marrow. This state, where spiritual marrow is refined and infused but the Golden Core hasn't yet formed, is called the perfection of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

But the second stage, the breakthrough itself, the process of condensing spiritual marrow into a Golden Core, is quite mystical. It requires a certain level of enlightenment and patience; many people can't break through in their entire lives. Even for someone of Li Fan's aptitude, the Xuantian Sword Intent conservatively estimated eighteen or seventeen years of seclusion.

After all, the people he interacted with, like Fu Ling, Chen Daotong, Yuan Xuanbao, were all stuck at the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage.

"Hold your sword!"

What, what? What's happening now?

Li Fan was lost in thought, contemplating the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Realm, when he snapped back to reality. Yuan Xuanbao had already rushed out, tossing that strange, monster-like iron hand. He didn't grab a sword, but Lu Qi, directly yanking the illegitimate son by his collar and dragging him out of the arena.

And it wasn't just him. Several onlookers among the rogue cultivators, including that senior brother Gao, had also intervened. However, they weren't taking sides or unfair advantage; they were genuinely engrossed in watching the match.

Seeing Lu Xing falling behind, his wooden sword knocked away, and stumbling to the ground, Lu Qi was about to follow up with a fatal sword strike. Immediately, several people intervened, not wanting any trouble to erupt.

But who knew Lu Xing had deliberately exposed a weakness? He twisted his right wrist, activating a mechanism hidden in his forearm. A volley of darts, as fine as ox hair and as dense as iron feathers, shot out, nearly turning Lu Qi, who was in mid-air and unable to dodge, into a sieve.

Fortunately, many people rushed forward, one pulling him back, another blocking, otherwise, someone would have really died.

Wow... So it seems armor with crossbows is the most practical! And didn't everyone agree not to interfere?

Li Fan also pulled out a large roll of ink thread. This item was now a standard part of his equipment. He rushed forward afterward to check Lu Qi's injuries.

The young man had been hit by a few darts, but they weren't fatal. He was mostly unharmed, but the surprise attack left him disheveled and utterly defeated. His expression was one of collapse as he roared in disbelief.

"You! You actually broke your own arm! Modified it with a mechanism!"

Oh, right...

Li Fan turned his head to look. He saw Lu Xing standing among the crowd. His right hand had split open into eight sections, unfolding like layers of a lotus. Copper wires and silver threads crisscrossed the bone structure, and two spindle-like coils spun ceaselessly, retracting threads and needles. It was even reusable...

The relatives from the Lu family around them looked horrified. Even though they were all inheritors of the Heavenly Craftsman tradition, how many could bring themselves to modify themselves like this...

"I made this Lotus Arm! You saw it, didn't you! Father! Even in the 'Xingzao' can lotus flowers bloom!" Lu Xing raised his head, completely unfazed by the monstrous expressions of those around him. He swung his right arm towards the ancestral hall, fully extending the mechanism. The lotus-petal-like jade pieces on his hand, the dart tips like lotus seeds, and the silk spools woven by the Heavenly Craftsman all gleamed under the sunlight, reflecting specks of golden light.

Lu Qi bit his lip and, along with everyone else, watched as his sister, whom he had only just truly noticed as a prodigy, suddenly leaped up, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed three times towards the ancestral hall. She then pushed through the crowd and ran off.

Li Fan, who had intended to practice suturing wounds on him, could only shrug at this point and let the young man leave. Perhaps after this defeat, he realized that there were some things in this world that couldn't be obtained through effort alone, and he would grow a little?

As for the other one...

He turned his head and, along with the colleagues he had befriended over the years with Senior Brother Lu, looked towards the ancestral hall. There stood a maiden, towering and unyielding against wind and rain, blooming like a green lotus.

"Half a pool of green water from the willow leaves, a hint of red fragrance in the clear breeze... Senior Brother Lu has raised his children well..."